Frozen Vegetables

Frozen vegetables have long received bad press but what if I told you frozen vegetables can be healthier, cheaper, and more convenient than their fresh counterparts. Frozen vegetables are flash-frozen with ultracold air which locks in vitamins and nutrients, this is why frozen vegetables are often much healthier than fresh vegetables. They are instantly frozen, unlike fresh vegetables which slowly lose nutrients as soon as they are harvested.

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What are Frozen Vegetables

Because frozen vegetables are already washed and usually cut up into easily usable sizes they are really convenient. You may also find they cook much quicker than fresh vegetables so you can easily throw them together in a stir fry or stew. Many supermarkets stock mixed frozen vegetable bags so you can get a greater variety in your diet without a pile of wilting vegetables in your salad drawer.

The cost is a big factor for a lot of people with frozen vegetables sometimes costing as much as 50% less. On top of the initial cost being lower, frozen veg has a much longer shelf life so there is a lot less waste. For someone living alone, it can often be a challenge to get a variety of vegetables every week without them all going bad before you can eat them all, frozen vegetables are the perfect solution for this.

List of Frozen Vegetables

Broccoli
Butternut Squash
Peas
Spinach
Carrot

What are the Best Vegetables to Buy Frozen?

Some vegetables are better frozen than others, even with all the benefits some frozen vegetables can be less than enjoyable once cooked (eg brussel sprouts). So which are the best vegetables to buy frozen? Here are 5 favorites and why they are great frozen:

Broccoli

While fresh broccoli lasts only a few days in the fridge frozen broccoli can sit in your freezer for months without spoiling. The main benefit of frozen broccoli over fresh is that it contains up for 400% more beta carotene which is important for skin and immune health. It is also delicious and you can roast it on a sheet pan just like fresh broccoli.

Butternut Squash

This is such a convenient option for butternut squash, a whole fresh butternut squash can be extremely difficult to cut up, especially with domestic knives. Frozen squash retains it nutrients and holds up wonderfully to the freezing process.

Peas

Garden peas can be hard to find fresh, so frozen are the norm for most people. They are super convenient and only take minutes to cook from frozen. They are also surprisingly high in protein.

Spinach

We have all at one point sautéed a bag of spinach expecting to feed an army only to find it wilts to barely enough for one. Frozen spinach is already wilted so you know ahead of time how much you are getting. There is often up to 4 times the nutrients in frozen spinach compared to fresh spinach.

Carrot

Like squash carrots hold up exceptionally well to the freezing process. They retain all their vitamin C and usually come prechopped so you can add them straight to your stir fry, curry or stew. Frozen carrots do soften a little in the freezing process which is perfect for those who love a softer bite to their carrots.